Nikki Sanderson, who was nominated for Serial Drama Performance for Hollyoaks at the National Television Awards , worked with Anne Kirkbride on Coronation Street and thinks she would want the cast to celebrate tonight and not be down.

"She was vibrant, lively, funny and wonderful and I think she would go, 'Have a drink for me!' Don't get me wrong, everyone is sad and upset about it, but she'd want to see people celebrating her life not mourning her death,” she told Mirror Celeb on the red carpet.

Nikki Sanderson (Image: Rex)

"I worked with her for six or seven years. I didn't know she was even poorly, it was a shock, my friend messaged me and said, 'Have you heard the news?'

"She is someone who will live on in everybody's hearts, she was just so wonderful.

"She was always someone you could go to if you wanted to smile and laugh."